The fences exemplified in the prior art typically utilize wood posts and rails, whose exterior surfaces are generally stained or painted in an effort to retard decay or rotting.
Unfortunately, even with frequent staining or painting, wood type fences have the tendency of developing splits which expose the interior surfaces of the wood and, thereby, exacerbates rotting.
Decay of such wood fences is most prevalent at and about the portion of the post members which are burried in the earth to provided the vertical support for the fence.
The obvious disadvantage of the prior art fences, in addition to those noted above, are that the wood posts and rails may develop surface splinters which, in turn, can cause injuries; and that periodic expensive maintenance and replacement of rotted members are required. It is to be noted that another disadvantage exists with the prior art post and rail wood fences, that being that internal rot may have weakened a post or rail such that a potential exists for serious injury with such member suddenly breaking under the weight of an unsuspecting person who may have sat or rested on said (internally) rotted fence member.
In contrast to the prior art, the present invention provides a post, rail and accessory members for a fence structure which are virtually imperishable, are of relative light weight, require little or no maintenance, facilitates erection of the fence structure and substantially, if not entirely, eliminates the risk of injury which, as noted above, may be caused by splintering and/or sudden breaking of (wood) post and rail members. The accessory members may comprise coupling joints, post caps, grass prevention rings and post mounting spikes, which will be described in greater detail hereafter.